JP2003043517A - Liquid crystal display panel and lighting inspection method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to confirm the presence or absence of positional deviation by a contact state of an actual probe. SOLUTION: To perform lighting inspection of a liquid crystal display panel 1 provided with a group of lead terminals 12 including a plurality of lead terminals 11 on a terminal part 10, the terminal part 10 is provided with a pairs of dummy terminals 141 for detecting the deviation, which are arranged at the same pitch as the minimum terminal pitch in the lead terminal group 12 and have the minimum terminal width in the lead terminal group 12 and are continuous with each other, on both sides of the lead terminal group 12 with a distance spaced by an integral multiple of the minimum terminal pitch; each pair of current probe pins 24a, 24b; 24c, 24d corresponding to the dummy terminals 141, 141 is arranged on a probe head 22 side; a continuity check current is made to flow across the current probe pins 24a, 24b; 24c, 24d before applying lighting voltage to each of the lead terminal 11; and the presence or absence of the positional deviation is detected by the continuity or discontinuity.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel and a lighting inspection method for the same, and more particularly, when a probe pin is simultaneously brought into contact with each lead terminal formed in a terminal portion to apply a lighting voltage. The present invention relates to a technology for detecting the positional deviation between the lead terminal and the probe pin.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A final performance inspection is performed on all products after assembly, and in the case of a liquid crystal display panel, a lighting inspection corresponds to that. The lighting inspection of the liquid crystal display panel is
Apply a predetermined lighting voltage by contacting the probe pin of the check unit with the lead terminal formed on the terminal part,
Depending on the lighting state, the transparent electrode is inspected for a wire break or short circuit.

This lighting inspection requires accurate alignment between the lead terminals and the probe pins. For example, TF
In the T liquid crystal display panel, if a lead terminal is mistakenly applied with a voltage due to a positional shift, the TFT may be broken depending on the timing of the voltage application. Therefore, in many cases, an inspection device having an automatic alignment mechanism is used.

According to this inspection apparatus, the alignment mark provided on the liquid crystal display panel is imaged by the CCD camera, and the image signal is processed by the image processing unit to specify the lead terminal position of the liquid crystal display panel. Then, either the probe pin or the panel is moved based on the position data to align the lead terminal and the probe pin.

[0005]

However, since the conventional inspection apparatus including the inspection apparatus having the above-mentioned auto-alignment mechanism does not have means for finally confirming the alignment state after alignment, There was a dislike of lack of reliability.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to check the alignment state between the lead terminal and the probe pin before actually applying a lighting voltage to the lead terminal. An object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable lighting inspection method for a liquid crystal display panel that can be surely detected in a contact state. Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display panel provided with a highly reliable dummy terminal for detection, which is capable of surely detecting the alignment state of the lead terminal and the probe pin.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the first invention of the present application is a liquid crystal display panel having a lead terminal group including a plurality of lead terminals arranged in a terminal portion at a predetermined pitch. In the lighting inspection method of a liquid crystal display panel, in which a voltage probe pin is brought into contact with each of the lead terminals and a predetermined lighting voltage is applied from the check unit to the liquid crystal display panel to inspect its lighting state, In the terminal portion, the pitch is the same as the minimum terminal pitch in the lead terminal group, the terminal width is the same as the minimum terminal width in the lead terminal group, and for the deviation detection formed as a mutually conductive pattern. A probe having a pair of dummy terminals arranged on both sides of the lead terminal group with a distance that is an integral multiple of the minimum terminal pitch and holding the voltage probe pin. On the battery side, each pair of current probe pins for flowing a conduction check current through the dummy terminal is provided, and after the voltage probe pin and the current probe pin are brought into contact with the terminal portion, the voltage probe pin is used to Prior to applying the lighting voltage to each of the lead terminals, a continuity check current is passed between the current probe pins, and the presence / absence of displacement between the voltage probe pin and the lead terminal is detected by the conduction / non-conduction. It is characterized by doing.

In the present invention, as long as the pair of dummy terminals for detecting the deviation are conductive, the conductive portions may be at any positions, but in consideration of the position accuracy of the current probe pin, they are strip-shaped like the lead terminals. It is preferable that a U-shaped (or inverted U-shaped) pattern that conducts each other is preferable in order to eliminate erroneous determination.

A second invention of the present application is a liquid crystal display panel comprising a lead terminal group including a plurality of lead terminals arranged in a terminal portion at a predetermined pitch, wherein the terminal portion has the pitch described above. A pair of dummy terminals for deviation detection, which are the same as the minimum terminal pitch in the lead terminal group and have the same terminal width as the minimum terminal width in the lead terminal group, and which are formed as patterns that conduct each other, It is characterized in that the lead terminals are arranged on both sides of the lead terminal group at a distance of an integral multiple of the minimum terminal pitch.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the terminal portion 10 of the liquid crystal display panel 1, and FIG. 2 shows the relative positional relationship between the terminal portion 10 and the check unit 20 which is a lighting inspection device.

The terminal portion 10 includes a plurality of lead terminals 11
Is provided, and each lead terminal 11 is connected to a transparent electrode (not shown) in the liquid crystal display panel 1. Each lead terminal 11 is made of ITO (indium tin oxide) like the transparent electrode, and is formed as a strip pattern.

In this embodiment, each lead terminal 11
Although the inter-terminal pitch and the terminal width are the same, the case where any one or both of them is different is also included in the inspection object of the present invention.

Displacement detectors 14 and 14 are provided on both sides of the lead terminal group 12. This deviation detection unit 14, 1
Since 4 has the same configuration, one of them will be described. The deviation detecting unit 14 includes a pair of dummy terminals 141 and 14
1 is provided.

Like the lead terminals 11, the dummy terminals 141 and 141 are made of ITO in a strip shape and are electrically connected to each other by a short circuit pattern 142.
In this embodiment, the short circuit pattern 142 is arranged on one end side of each of the dummy terminals 141 and 141. As a result, the shift detection unit 14 has a U-shaped pattern as a whole.

The short circuit pattern 142 is arranged on the base end side (panel display side) of the terminal portion 10 and has a line width W.
2 is preferably 0.5 mm or less from the base end.
As a modification, the short-circuit pattern 142 is arranged in the center of the dummy terminals 141 and 141, and the shift detection unit 1
4 may be an H-shaped pattern.

The terminal width W1 of the dummy terminals 141 and 141
Is the same width as the terminal width of the lead terminal 11. When the lead terminal group 12 includes lead terminals having different terminal widths, the lead terminal group 12 has the same width as the minimum terminal width.

The pitch P1 between the dummy terminals 141 and 141 is the same as the pitch between the lead terminals 11 and 11. When the lead terminal group 12 includes lead terminals having different pitches, the minimum terminal pitch among them is the same.

The distance L between the deviation detecting portion 14 and the lead terminal group 12 is also an important factor for the present invention. That is, this distance L is set to an integral multiple of the pitch between the lead terminals 11 and 11 (the minimum terminal pitch among the lead terminals when the lead terminal group 12 includes lead terminals having different pitches).

It should be noted that the distance L between the right-side deviation detection unit 14 and the left-side deviation detection unit 14 in FIG. 1 with respect to the lead terminal group 12 may be different, provided that the distance is an integral multiple. For example, the distance L of the right side deviation detection unit 14 in FIG. 1 may be twice the pitch between terminals, and the distance L of the left side deviation detection unit 14 may be three times the pitch between terminals.

Referring to FIG. 2, the check unit 20
Includes a measuring unit 21 and a probe head 22.
The probe head 22 is moved so as to move toward and away from the terminal portion 10 by a driving unit (not shown).

Each lead terminal 1 is attached to the probe head 22.
The voltage probe 23 for applying the lighting voltage arranged corresponding to No. 1 and the pair of current probe pins arranged corresponding to the deviation detecting unit 14 and flowing the conduction check current through each dummy terminal 141, 141 thereof. 24a, 24b; 24c,
24d is provided.

In this embodiment, the measuring unit 21 has a battery 25 as a power source for continuity check.
One of the pair of current probe pins 24 a and 25 d of current probe pins is connected to the positive electrode side of 5 via a switch 26.

The other current probe pin 24b and the current probe pin 25c forming a pair are connected to the input side of the AND circuit 27, and the output side of the AND circuit 27 is connected to a determination unit (not shown). The lighting voltage control circuit for the voltage probe 23 is not shown because it is not the subject matter of the present invention.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described. For example, when the liquid crystal display panel 10 is placed on an XY moving table for alignment (not shown) and the alignment is completed by an auto alignment mechanism or the like, the lighting inspection of the present invention is performed.

First, the probe head 22 is lowered to bring all the probe pins 23 and 24 into contact with the terminal portion 10. Then, from the voltage probe pin 23 to each lead terminal 1
Before applying the lighting voltage to No. 1, the switch 26 is turned on to apply a voltage to the current probe pin 24a and the current probe pin 25d.

At this time, the current probe pins 24a, 24
b; if each of 24c and 24d is in contact with the dummy terminals 141 and 141 of the deviation detection unit 14, between the current probe pins 24a and 24b and between the current probe pins 24c and 2
Current flows between 4d and each input side of the AND circuit 27 is "H"
Therefore, the output of the AND circuit 27 becomes "H".

As a result, the determination section determines that the positional deviation is “none (OK)”, and as a next step, the lighting voltage is applied from the voltage probe pin 23 to each lead terminal 11. If the output of the AND circuit 27 remains "L" even when the switch 26 is turned on, the determination unit determines that the positional deviation is "present (NG)", and a warning is issued by, for example, a buzzer.

As described above, according to the present invention, since it is possible to confirm the presence or absence of the positional deviation in the actual contact state of the probe before applying the lighting voltage, it is possible to perform a highly reliable lighting inspection. In particular, in the case of a TFT panel, it is possible to prevent destruction of the TFT due to wrong voltage application, which is preferable.

In the present specification, the probe pin for applying the lighting voltage is a voltage probe pin and the probe pin for continuity check is a current probe pin. However, this is for convenience of description, and actually. Use the same probe pin.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In the lighting inspection of a liquid crystal display panel having a lead terminal group including a plurality of lead terminals in the terminal portion, the pitch of the terminal portion is the same as the minimum terminal pitch in the lead terminal group,
In addition, the pair of dummy terminals for deviation detection, which have the same terminal width as the minimum terminal width in the lead terminal group and are electrically connected to each other, are arranged on both sides of the lead terminal group at an integer multiple of the minimum terminal pitch. The probe head side is equipped with a pair of current probe pins that allow conduction check current to flow through the dummy terminals, and a conduction check current is applied between the current probe pins before applying the lighting voltage to each lead terminal. Since the presence / absence of the positional deviation is detected by the conduction / non-conduction, it is possible to perform a highly reliable lighting inspection of the liquid crystal display panel.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a liquid crystal display panel provided with a dummy terminal for highly reliable detection capable of surely detecting the alignment state of the lead terminal and the probe pin.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an essential part showing a terminal portion of a liquid crystal display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a relative positional relationship between the liquid crystal display panel and a check unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Liquid crystal display panel 10 terminals 11 Lead terminal 12 lead terminal group 14 Deviation detection unit 141 dummy terminal 142 short circuit pattern 20 check units 21 Measuring unit 22 Probe head 23 Voltage probe pin 24a-24d Current probe pin

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Satoshi Takafuji             1-2-1, Kamisakabe, Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo Op             Trex Co., Ltd. Amagasaki factory (72) Inventor Koichi Baku             1-2-1, Kamisakabe, Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo Op             Trex Co., Ltd. Amagasaki factory F-term (reference) 2G011 AA02 AA15 AC06 AE01 AF07                 2H088 FA13 MA20                 2H092 GA32 GA40 JB77 MA57 NA29                       NA30

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A liquid crystal display panel having a lead terminal group including a plurality of lead terminals arranged at a predetermined pitch in a terminal portion is an object to be inspected, and a voltage probe pin is brought into contact with each of the lead terminals. In a lighting inspection method for a liquid crystal display panel, wherein a predetermined lighting voltage is applied to the liquid crystal display panel from a check unit to inspect its lighting state, a pitch is the same as the minimum terminal pitch in the lead terminal group in the terminal portion, And, the terminal width is the same as the minimum terminal width in the lead terminal group, and a pair of dummy terminals for deviation detection, which are formed as conductive patterns, are formed on both sides of the lead terminal group and are integers of the minimum terminal pitch. While arranging with a double distance, on the probe head side that holds the voltage probe pin,
Providing a pair of current probe pins for flowing a conduction check current through the dummy terminals, and after contacting the voltage probe pin and the current probe pin to the terminal portion, from the voltage probe pin to each of the lead terminals Prior to applying the lighting voltage, a continuity check current is passed between the current probe pins, and the presence / absence of a position deviation between the voltage probe pin and the lead terminal is detected by the conduction / non-conduction. Lighting inspection method for liquid crystal display panels. 2. The lighting inspection method for a liquid crystal display panel according to claim 1, wherein the pair of dummy terminals are formed as a U-shaped pattern that is electrically connected to each other. 3. A liquid crystal display panel comprising a lead terminal group including a plurality of lead terminals arranged at a predetermined pitch in the terminal portion, wherein the terminal portion has the smallest pitch in the lead terminal group. A pair of dummy terminals for deviation detection, which have the same pitch and the same terminal width as the minimum terminal width in the lead terminal group and which are formed as a pattern electrically connected to each other, are provided on both sides of the lead terminal group. A liquid crystal display panel, which is arranged at a distance that is an integral multiple of the minimum terminal pitch.